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Sprint to nix 'unlimited' from mobile broadband and hotspot plans in November
We'd heard rumblings that unlimited data for Sprint's mobile hotspot plan was going the way of the dodo, but come November folks, it'll be official. Data sent and received over tethering -- not smartphone usage -- will now be measured against a 5GB cap. The same applies to mobile broadband subscribers, who will lose "unlimited" WiMax, instead having all their bits counting towards 3GB, 5GB or 10GB buckets (as seen above). Going over your allotment in either plan naturally incurs overages, which could get pricey at 5 cents per MB, and worst of all, existing unlimited plans won't be grandfathered in. So, start counting down those last few days of limitless bliss, as you weep peeping the full details that await at the source. [Thanks, Darren]
FCC to bring down new CableCARD rules in October 14th meeting
The FCC announced the agenda for its October 14th meeting and low and behold it contains the FCCs intent to release a "Third Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that will make changes to the FCC's CableCARD rules." So obviously it's our hope that the changes proposed in the FCC's Broadband plan will become a mandate and not just a dream. Here's a refresher, the proposed changes include: Ditch Tuning Adapters and let devices with Ethernet ports communicate upstream via IP to tune SDV channels. If a customer has a CableCARD in their leased set-top box, it must be reflected on the bill like any other CableCARD would. If the provider offers a self install for leased set-top boxes, they must also allow self install of a CableCARD. Software shouldn't require the same CableLabs certification hardware does. All or none of these are a possibility, but considering the comments by the NCTA and its members, it is nieve to believe that these are anywhere near guaranteed at this point. In addition to the changes, we wait to hear when the new rules will go into effect, initially the FCC intended on making them law this Fall, so if that is still the case, expect to hassle your cable provider about 'em before the end of the year (December 21st is the first day of Winter).
Public safety agencies want D Block for themselves, FCC still seeking auction
The 700MHz 'D Block' has been the subject of much debate over the past few years, primarily because the FCC's master plan to auction it off -- yet require the winner to open up the waves for public safety use on command -- didn't exactly pan out. Post-failure, the agency made clear its plans to host up another auction or two in order to accomplish the same goal via slightly different means, but now public safety entities are coming forward with a healthy amount of opposition. Rob Davis, head of the San Jose Police Department, puts it bluntly: "If they auction this spectrum, we've lost it forever." These public safety officials also have allies in Congress, with many worried that auctioning off the spectrum may lead to an inability to accurately wield bandwidth in a hurry if needed during a national emergency. The FCC plan also alleviates the cost issue, but public advocates have a solution there as well -- they say that if given the 'D Block' outright, they could "lease excess airwaves to commercial carriers since they would not always need all of it." Of course, that's a pretty big assumption about the willingness of carriers to lease space, and we suspect a lot more back-and-forth will go on here in the coming months. Oh, the drama.
New CableCARD rules get one step closer to reality this month
We're still scratching our head 'cause the FCC mentioned CableCARD reform in the Broadband Plan, but nevertheless, things are moving quickly. Just like all the other agencies in the executive branch, the FCC has to follow a defined process when it wants to change the rules and the big one before the actual report and order is the notice of proposed rule making. The NPRM proceeding will take place this month and shows that the FCC is pretty serious about having the changes layed out in the Broadband Plan in effect by this Fall -- assuming of course the cable industry doesn't have any major objections. Also on the docket for the FCC is the Notice of Inquiry about the IP Gateway. This is where the FCC will ask everyone exactly how it might work, which is the first of many steps that will take place before we'll see some set-top box innovation.
A CableCARD replacement is due by December 2012, bandaids by this Fall
While most of the FCC's new Broadband plan has been about, well, broadband, there's also some great news for HDTV fans. We expected a few mentions about CableCARD and its future when the FCC requested comments and declared it a failure, but we're still glad to see that the FCC listened to consumer electronics companies like TiVo and Sony -- among others. The biggest news is that the FCC has asked the industry to come up with a residential IP gateway that is open and that will provide same abilities as your provider's equipment, and most importantly, it should enable the very same gear to work no matter what type of service you prefer, whether it be satellite, cable or fiber -- for example, via various gateways the same TiVo would work with either DirecTV or Comcast. But while the FCC has given the industry until December of 2012 to define and deploy these IP gateways before implementing an "appropriate enforcement mechanism," in the meantime the FCC wants to see the biggest issues with CableCARDs resolved by this Fall. The list below of immediate fixes is pretty impressive, and other than the persistent lack of video on demand support, it'll help make CableCARD a pretty respectable solution. Ditch Tuning Adapters and let devices with Ethernet ports communicate upstream via IP to tune SDV channels. If a customer has a CableCARD in their leased set-top box, it must be reflected on the bill like any other CableCARD would. If the provider offers a self install for leased set-top boxes, they must also allow self install of a CableCARD. Software shouldn't require the same CableLabs certification hardware does.
